Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Chrysalis Tarot calls upon many frequencies of cosmic energy and lumps them all together as the Otherworld. We are all linked to the Otherworld by energy, just as we are linked to one another by energy. The many frequencies (vibrations) of Otherworld energy are often symbolized by the personae they wear. One of our favorites is fairy energy.

I like to compare the Otherworld to a hard disk inside a giant proton computer. This imaginary computer naturally stores information (energy), except in colossal cosmological proportions.

The proton computer is holistic and operates on the holographic principle. By this I mean it's everywhere in the cosmos and yet nowhere in particular in the cosmos. For all we know, our proton computer may connect to other universes; there's no reason to believe we live in the only universe. "Some infinities are larger than others," is an apt quote from a movie I watched recently.

Our cosmic computer stores information received from the Collective Unconscious archetypes; the complete history of the cosmos called the Akashic Record; the angelic realm; the realm of ancestors and the fairy realm, as well as many other realms. There's a realm for mythological creatures like unicorns, centaurs, the Minotaur and such.

Now let's imagine a radio. All energy fields available for human "reception" ride on the waves of consciousness, which is the Ground of Being for all things from quasars to humans to protons. Looking for consciousness exclusively in the human brain is like expecting to find an announcer inside a radio. It's not there, it's everywhere. Electromagnetic energy and consciousness, which is electromagnetic energy, are everywhere. Consciousness is considered to be non-local. Our brain is the radio. Our crown chakra is the antenna. (Self-awareness is, however, exclusively a function of the brain.)

These are not squirrely New Age speculations. This is the New Physics and the New Science. The architecture of this vast cosmic information network is based on quantum entanglement. Einstein called entanglement, "Spooky action at a distance." Two entangled particles, say a pair of protons, on opposite sides of the universe are able to communicate with one other instantaneously (superluminally). These protons can be said to be quantumly entangled. ı

In this piece, we will tune our radios to the frequency of fae folk - the Fae Channel, as it were. First, we need a good antenna. Fortunately, Chrysalis Tarot is equipped with a state of the art Otherworld antenna. We call her the Storyteller.

The orioles on Storyteller's crown chakra symbolize several things. First, that she is a shape-shifter and a healing shaman. They symbolize she's able to see and understand how life throughout our cosmos is woven together. Orioles are excellent weavers; an oriole nest is a work of art. But today the most important oriole symbolism is that orioles live where the little people live. They always indicate the presence of faeries.

We can see that Storyteller's power light (orb) is lit up, so she's receiving the Fae Channel loud and clear. Her orb is her heart chakra.

The next thing we need is a good ground so that fae cosmic energy can inform our unconscious minds and allow it to return to its source. In other words, we need a dipole. For that, we'll use the 9 of Mirrors, which depicts two tree fairies playing in the rain. That's a good ground. All Chrysalis trees ground specific frequencies.

Now, as a significator at the center of the dipole there's only one logical choice, and that's the Queen of the Fairies, Morgan le Fay. As you see, she has a lot of bubbling energy in her cauldron. You could even say Morgan has acquired an "over-unity" of bubbling spiritual energy. That means these three vertically aligned Chrysalis cards (Storyteller, Morgan and 9 of Mirrors) generate more energy than they consume.

To Morgan's right place a member of The Troupe that represents and resonates with you, or a spirit guide you'd like this reading to consult. If no particular Troupe card strikes your fancy, this is an ideal spot for The Mime, The Poet or The Dreamer.

To Morgan's left place the 6 of Scrolls (elephant and fairy). This card sets a contemplative and compassionate mood for your Fairy Ring. Any Chrysalis fairy card can be placed in this position, as can any card that might remind you of faeries.

You now have all four cardinal directions plotted on the circumference of a ring with Morgan in its center. You have now completed a functional wireless connection to the Realm of Fairies as well as a mandala to use for contemplating your intention and petition to the faeries.

Next, you draw four cards. These cards combined together represent your electromagnetic message from the Realm of the Fairies. These cards are read as a group: think of a single paragraph with four sentences. Look closely for common threads and soft nuances with you Third Eye.

As we noted above, you can vary the energy and intention of the reading by replacing the 6 of Scrolls (compassion) with another Chrysalis fairy card. The 4 of Scrolls (recollection); 5 of Stones (desolation); 6 of Mirrors (ancestors and memories); 4 of Spirals (solitude), and the 6 of Spirals (clooties hanging from a hawthorn tree) that symbolizes a "fairy portal" to the Otherworld come to mind. Don't be surprised if the 6 of Spirals turns up as one of your 4 drawn cards as it did in the spread pictured below. It's a strong confirmation card for the intentions you brought to your fairy reading.

Your intention is why you're calling on the fairy realm. Your petition is whatever you'd like the faeries to help you with. Writing your petition on paper (and in your journal) and then placing it under your pillow or on your altar is a good idea. Faeries can produce "delayed" synchronicity that may not be manifest for days or even weeks, but that's usually the exception. It's generally magic that's swift afoot.

The 4 of Spirals, which symbolizes your ancestral Harvest Home, is where fae folk also live. The Harvest Home tableau is rich with moony fae-type energy. The valley forest is thick as night with oak, ash and hawthorn trees. There's a bubbling little brook filled with tadpoles that nibble at nothing and zip across mossy shallows where the elders sing in funny sounds.

In Chrysalis, we think of fairies as nature spirits found in trees and forests (dryads), in streams and wells (naiads), and mountains and valleys (oreads). In other words, as the precious children who attend Gaia and Green Man.

Faeries love fun and joy. Our fairy ring encourages you to have joyful fun working with fairy energy, a delicate subtle energy frequency. Fairy energy is healing energy that often comes to us, as Storyteller suggests, through stories.

Some of our most wonderful stories are about faeries. Creative geniuses like Hans Christian Andersen Madame d'Aulnoy and the Brothers Grimm were well tuned to the fae frequency! Their stories are called fairy tales. Here's a handy list of fairy tales.

Sinbad the Sailor, for example, is an analogue for Odysseus and is a Middle Eastern version of the monomythic Hero's Journey. Sinbad's personal analogue in The Troupe is The Dreamer.

You can have fun with this spread in many different ways. Remember, faeries are nature spirits. They love plants and flowers, especially flowers, as you can see in the Nine of Mirrors art.

For example, I bet you didn't know Elpi is a fairy! She was created as a mythological Greek sky goddess but just look at her. She's a fairy! I've come to think of all minor Greek deities like Elpi as northern faeries. The beautiful scarf wrapped about her neck and golden censor is a stylized version of an ouroboros, the snake that consumes its tail and symbolizes rebirth.

The ouroboros is a sign of regeneration. Even Elpi's hair is somewhat suggestive of the Medusa, who's identified with snakes. Elpi is a sidhe and sidhe are shape-shifters. In addition to Medusa, another shape-shifting aspect of Elpi is Lilith, Queen of the Night. Lilith is often depicted in art with a snake, a symbol of renewal.

But don't fret about Elpi's hidden side. In this card, she symbolizes everlasting hope. Symbolically speaking, snakes are dragons and dragons are guardians of the Otherworld, the wellspring of rebirth.

In the UK, faeries are called pixies. Pixie dust, or star dust, and the magic of hope are metaphors for the same energy field. You might consider inserting Elpi into your fairy spread in place of the 6 of Scrolls. She brings a little extra magic and a little extra hope to your radio.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

One of the things I most like about Yoruba/Vodun (Voodoo) spirituality is that when their spirits come calling, they don't generally knock. There's no "gentle tapping at my chamber door." Nope, with them it's in your face Magic.

Like a rolling thunderstorm, Oya came calling Sunday morning. From what I've recently seen on Facebook, and from my own experience, a lot of confusing energies have been in play this week. Many are simply misdirected energies being redirected. This blog attempts to sort them all out.

Oya has many aspects (energy patterns): she's a warrior (destructive) goddess associated with fire, magic, wind and particular vortices such as tornadoes and hurricanes, as well as being a guardian of the Otherworld. She's not a member of Chrysalis' dramatis personae, at least not directly. More about that shortly.

A goddess with a complicated energy pattern, who is unfamiliar to most people, can prove difficult to "tune into." In fact, her energy can even be a little unnerving, if not overwhelming. As one becomes more centered and balanced, tuning-in becomes easier. That's why balance is continuously mentioned in Chrysalis Tarot circles and emphasized in the Little White Book. Chrysalis balance is achieved by practicing mindfulness, humility and keeping an open mind. We are living in times of unprecedented change, so it's important to discover your center now and train yourself to recover it quickly.

Erika Garnett is a High Priestess in the Ancient Egyptian Kermetic Spiritual system of Ma'at. She shared this insight with us, "When we experience Oya, she is telling us that all of our dreams are within our reach and can be manifested if we tap into our inner strength. The themes of fortitude, strength, instincts, self-confidence, courage, patience and perseverance will be important when Oya appears. She is also associated with the transforming of raw energy or sexual energy into a vehicle for creativity."

Oya is a goddess of transition. Specifically, the transition from the old paradigm of an unbalanced, disconnected, dead universe to the new paradigm of a balanced, connected, living universe.

Central to this transition is the return of the Shekinah, the energy of the Divine Feminine that's been in exile for the past 5,000 or so years. We cannot accomplish this transition without balance and justice and we cannot find balance and justice in monotheistic, male-dominated societies that sorely undervalue, and in some cases brutally oppress, half their members, i.e. their women. Erika touched upon one reason for this imbalance: fear and loathing of female sexuality (and human flesh in general) by the (male) architects of monotheism.

Let's imagine Chrysalis Tarot as a vintage sailing ship. Its figurehead (left) could well be Oya. Figureheads, which are mounted on a ship's prow, represent the spirit of the ship and beseech its protection and guidance. Oya's energy, the energy of transition and transformation, is the same energy abundant throughout Chrysalis Tarot.

To stretch this analogy, we regard Giuliana's Chrysalis Tarot study group like the flagship of a fleet tasked with the rescue and return of the Shekinah. Forgive the hyperbole, but Giuliana and the ladies of her study group could be likened to modern day avatars of Helen of Troy - faces that "launch'd a thousand ships." A puffed up spinnaker perhaps, but transitioning to this new paradigm definitely depends upon strong, empowered, self-confident women commanding the helm. Accordingly, we imbued Chrysalis Tarot with Divine Feminine Oya energy - a trait that sets it apart from other decks.

Interestingly, the figurehead pictured above came from a pirate ship. In the little tale I wrote a decade ago about King Arthur's return, the figurehead on the Mystic Rose, a medieval pirate ship from the Celtic Otherworld,is Ezekiel, also an archetype of transition and transformation. (The Mystic Rose plays an important part in the return of our "once and future king.")

Both Ezekiel and Oya personify the energy of Merkabah mysticism, also known as chariot mysticism. This is why Herne the Hunter appears on the traditional Chariot card in Chrysalis. He's a slayer of obsolete worldviews. The Corsair (a pirate) was inspired by my Mystic Rose book. He loves to plunder outworn worldviews!

(The beautiful Helen of Troy by Rossetti is displayed on the right.)

One of the most popular snowclones of Arthur Clarke's Third Law reads: "Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science." That might not have been true of the old paradigm, but it certainly is of the new! Let's examine that bold claim more closely.

From the Chrysalis Tarot app

We may regard the spirals* on the image of the 7 of Spirals (left) as dynamic symbols of Oya energy. The bear represents you and me. We detect spiraling energy "rapping at our chamber door," but we can't see it. Still, it stiffens and inspires us. The old paradigm asserts there's nothing really there at all that is scientifically measurable or falsifiable and therefore, by definition, there is really nothing there at all - period. Hogwarts!

The new paradigm asserts that subtle, invisible energy permeates the cosmos; moreover that we ourselves are eternal energy beings, not merely hunks of matter somehow raised to finite lives. The new paradigm attests of a universe characterized by continuous creation (an estimated 275-million new stars are born everyday) We live in a conscious universe continuously learning about itself and ever increasing in complexity.

One of the primary instruments of this cosmic learning is Earth-bound biology that participates in a dynamic feed-back feed-forward loop: the bear, you, me and the cosmos. We all are connected by vibrating subtle energy flowing through everything.

As human beings we always have, and probably always will, personify or anthropomorphize recurring energy patterns that we can't see. This penchant applies to gods, goddesses, fairies, angels, spirits, satyrs, mythological and fantastical creatures, and magic dragons named Puff. They are all real because they all resonate. And we will continue to call this resonance magic, not because it's supernatural, paranormal or unscientific, but simply because it's far easier to convey that notion than a scientific one.

For example, had you rather commune with "a quantized subtle energy field with recurring spatiotemporal patterns oscillating at the far-infrared band," or with Oya, Pan and black unicorns?

Like all important philosophical questions, the above question cannot be reduced to yet another simplistic either/or, black or white proposition. It is rather a both/and proposition. Both/and propositions characterize the new paradigm, which will eventually be free of superstition, disabling beliefs and man-made religious dogma. To this end, Chrysalis seeks to nurture active imagination, intuition and critical thinking skills.

Oya's White Tiger Energy drives personal truth and assertiveness by empowering the soul and strengthening the will. It's the type of energy that, when the time is right, rouses any self-respecting, open-minded bear from the creature comforts of the cave. White Tiger Energy is the crouching, patient energy of Yin holding the impetuous, impatient energy of the Hidden Dragon in check - or, better put, in equilibrium. The universe, we must always remind ourselves, is in no hurry.

And by the way, the 7 of Spirals reminds us to question everything but to stand our ground! Anyway, doesn't it seem high time that humankind vacated the cave altogether? "All in good time," says the universe. "All in good time."

*A spiral is a 2-dimensional symbol for a swirling vortex that expands to infinity and contracts to singularity. In humans, the singularity is located at the heart of the body's auric energy field.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Holly completed her Harvest Goddess painting before we began work on the Chrysalis project. We thought about including this piece as one of our major arcana cards but considered Gaia a more suitable replacement for the traditional Empress card, although the resonant energy of both Gaia and Harvest Goddess is similar and sympathetic.

Gaia reminds us of our interdependence with the natural world and of the co-creative responsibilities we share regarding Earth's care and well-being. The Harvest Goddess, as a seasonal aspect (daughter) of Gaia, reminds us to give thanks for the abundant resources Mother Earth freely provides, resources that nurture and sustain our planet's biosphere and zestful mosaic of life.

The biosphere itself is only one example of an energy field that functions much like Chrysalis Tarot functions - as a dynamic feedback loop. Another of these energy feedback loop mechanisms important to Chrysalis is the Collective Unconscious. But perhaps the most important energy field is the one that interconnects and informs everything in the universe. This field is called prana, a Sanskrit word meaning "life force."

The pranic feedback loop is the mechanism by which the universe learns about itself and ever increases in complexity and consciousness. Yes, our universe is alive, and it is conscious!

Pranic energy runs through everything. It fills what once was incorrectly regarded as a dead, mechanical universe comprised almost entirely of empty space. Empty space is, in fact, a plenum full of pranic energy.

Prana also runs through the chakra system of the human body where it finds plenitude and resonance in the fourth chakra, also known as the heart chakra, and the mind chakra, also known as the crown chakra. Harvest Goddess' cornucopia of abundance proceeds from her heart, as does Storyteller's healing energy.

While it's true that pranic energy is "life-giving" energy, this concept is far better understood today than it was in the Vedic Age some 3,000 years ago. Pranic energy pervades everything, both animate and inanimate objects. It comprises over 99% of the mass of every proton, and consequently of every atom in the universe.

The interconnectivity of pranic energy is symbolized in the Storyteller art by fractal vines extending from the energetic orb she cradles in her palms. You could go so far as to assert that these fractal vines create an information network across all scales to connect subatomic packets (quanta) of oscillating energy, as implicated by quantum mechanics.

Energy can be defined as oscillating or vibrating information at the quantum scale.

When the Chrysalis project first began, Holly and I were determined to emphasize the science of tarot as opposed to the esoterica. For example, Chrysalis Tarot as a holistic deck has a specific frequency, just as you yourself have a specific frequency. All objects vibrate and therefore have a frequency. Gaia's frequency, for example, is 4.83 Hz. This is the resonant frequency of the cavity between Earth's surface and the ionosphere's densest layer. It's the same frequency as alpha waves measured in the human brain in contemplation or wakeful periods of sleep.

Fans of Chrysalis Tarot attest to sympathetic resonance with the deck's subtle energy (its frequency), its artistic themes and primary intentionality. These combine to produce spiritual transformation, healing and increased awareness (mindfulness). Many of our reviewers and devotees write that Chrysalis "resonates with them." They go on to point out its healing benefits.

Not only does Chrysalis, as a holistic deck, have a specific frequency, each individual card has one too; some cards will resonate more than others at different times and under different life circumstances. Simply put, this resonance is a function of depth psychology informed by the Collective Unconscious in concert with color, intentionality and each card's the unique energy.

A Chrysalis reading, whether performed with one card or more, engenders self-examination. In turn, this leads to the triumph of authentic Self (butterfly wings) over the ego. Tarot's journey - the Hero's Journey - is, in the final analysis, the triumph of authentic Self over its lifelong adversary, the ego.

The conscious act of simply realizing we live in an interconnected, interdependent living universe is a great beginning. All Chrysalis Tarot cards build upon this bedrock premise.

Toroidal feedback loop structure of the Mind-Heart Auric Field

In addition to the morphogenetic field we call Gaia, and to the archetypal field we call the Collective Unconscious, another important field that plays a vital part in how Chrysalis Tarot works is the Mind-Heart Field (left), the dynamic projection of electromagnetic energy from the body.

The larger of the two fields in the image is the auric field (aura), which can extend to 9 or 10 feet from the body. The distance the aura extends (strength and frequency) depends upon a person's physical and emotional well being, mood and present circumstances.

Positive emotions serve to increase the aura's strength and frequency. Negative emotions such as fear have the exact opposite effect.

Both fields, as well as the other energy meridians and substructures found in the body such as chakras, exchange information with other feedback structures in the local environment - other people, Gaia, the Collective Unconscious, and the entire universe - just as the word holistic implies. Energy, as we noted above, can itself be defined as vibrating information.

Any spiritual exercise that strengthens the resonant potential of one's auric field, such as contemplation, meditation, prayer, intentionality and active imagination, along with Reiki attunement, and Chrysalis Tarot to mention only a few, brings improved health, an increased sense of self and empathetic compassion with nature. This is a fundamental conviction in all energy-medicine modalities.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

(Note: We will post to the Chrysalis Tarot blog sporadically while our new companion book is being written. Thanks!)

We began publishing the Chrysalis Tarot blog in March and it achieves a milestone with this post. All 78 Chrysalis cards have now had the blog's attention. The complete list is located on the right side navigation bar. These are easy, direct links to whatever card you might be interested in.

But we won't stop with this post. In the coming weeks, we'll blog on ideas presented in the new Chrysalis Tarot companion book due out in 2015, as well as other subjects we believe Chrysalis fans will find interesting.

The Artiste (left) is dedicated to artistic creativity and expression, i.e. art, writing, dance, musical composition and the performing arts. As one of our "minor archetypes" (all Troupe members are minor archetypes), she represents the creative impulse of imagination and intuition, two cornerstones of the Hero's Journey in Chrysalis and the Chrysalis philosophy.

The other two cornerstones are represented by our final two cards.

Chrysalis Tarot is different in many ways and the Artiste underscores one of these differences: the absence of esoterica. With Chrysalis, there's really no need to look something up in a book. By this I mean there's no need to memorize how our cards should be interpreted and how to interpret our symbols. They either resonate with you or they don't.

Tarot is a subjective enterprise, a distinction that makes tarot an art rather than a science. Every card in the deck means something different to different people at different times in their lives. The interpretations and keywords we offer have been put there simply to point you in the right direction. In time, this teaches you to become your own Artiste - someone who appreciates that their own intuition and imagination when interpreting a reading are far superior to reams of written material explicating arcane symbolism.

When The Artiste turns up in a reading, she's there is to remind you of this responsibility. You must paint your own canvas; you can't look it up in a book or have someone else paint it for you. I'm reminded of this truism whenever I contemplate the Divine Child card (right). This card symbolizes Jungian individuation, which is another way of stating the idea that you alone can paint your canvas.

In the final analysis, you alone are responsible for your own spiritual growth. You make all the important artistic decisions. Divine Child is the message and the medium.

Here's how C.G. Jung described individuation (emphasis is mine):

"The concept of individuation plays a large role in (Jungian) psychology. In general, it is the process by which individual beings are formed and differentiated; in particular, it is the development of the psychological individual...as a being distinct from the general, collective psychology. Individuation, therefore, is a process of differentiation...having for its goal the development of the individual personality."

To that we can add that the "development of the individual personality" parallels the process of self-realization - the destiny-driven goal of the Hero's Journey. That's why Jung was a staunch supporter of tarot's ability to plumb the Collective Unconscious and assist taroists with their personal growth and development and reach their fullest potential (destiny).

In other words, to paint your own unique butterfly with your own pallet (the individual) rather than attempt to paint by numbers (the collective). This distinction is hugely important. Chrysalis does not seek to manufacture clones.

The third cornerstone of Chrysalis Tarot is the art of letting go. As the great sage Yoda uttered, "You must unlearn what you have learned."

We live in a time of enormous change. We're discovering our previous beliefs about cosmology were wrong. The same goes for physics, archaeology and biology. We're transitioning from a mechanical worldview where everything is separated into collectives, to a holistic worldview where everything is connected and interdependent but also individuated, (fully actualized).We're moving away from bleak materialism to a rational spirituality.

Among the realities that materialism are unable to see or measure, and therefore discount, are subtle energy and consciousness. The old worldview myopically focused on matter and neglected energy fields we once called spirit. We have failed to grasp the implication of the fact that 99.9999% of what exists in our universe is space. We have failed to come to grips with the quantum reality that this empty space is not an empty vacuum but a plenum filled with oscillating energy once called spirit.

The Sojourner is aware of all of this. As the King of Mirrors, he is connected to universal truths. And so are you. But to apprehend and comprehend new truths we first must let go of antiquated old truths, e.g. Earth is the center of the universe. We must "unlearn what we have learned" as Yoda put it. Like The Sojourner and his trusted steed, we, as a species, find ourselves precariously balanced on the precipice of a new age that will be defined by change.

The universe is in no hurry, nor is The Sojourner. He lives life one day at a time and can always be found in the present moment.

The fourth and final cornerstone of Chrysalis Tarot is discernment. We know that all the answers we ever need are already inside us and that we can access them anytime we want via the subtle energy field we call the Collective Unconscious.

We know this, and yet ego and emotions often cloud clear and rational thinking. Exercising discernment - making good decisions - is dependent upon our willingness to still our minds and hear the Music of the Spheres: to allow truth to resonate with us. Another word for this is mindfulness - being in the moment at all times.

I'm a huge advocate of daily meditation and chakra attunement. Yet with our busy lifestyles in our busy world of wired communication, I believe tarot is the most effective tool available to assist our decision making. But it must be understood and used correctly, otherwise it will merely echo the ego.

I prefer the word discernment to divination simply because the latter implies a decision has already been made. How disempowering is that!? The word discernment, on the other hand, implies that you yourself are empowered to make choices that affect your life.

A tarot reading primarily is a conversation with the Collective Unconscious about difficult choices. It is a conversation taking place beyond the noisy interference of the ego, although you remain fully aware and alert in a state of ordinary consciousness. In a nutshell, that's the difference between tarot and other forms of discernment that alter consciousness.

With tarot you commune with the numinous. Moreover, these conversations help you get to know and understand yourself better and engender self-acceptance. They reinforce the strengths and expose the weaknesses we all have. And they facilitate mindfulness.

In this context, The Companion card serves as a metaphor for listening to your inner voice. This is accomplished via the subtle energy of Chrysalis Tarot resonating incommunity with the Collective Unconscious. There is no single greater tool for self-realization. This is why we call Chrysalis Tarot "Transformational Technology for Everyone."

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

The Nine of Scrolls is one of the most important cards in Chrysalis because it symbolizes the agony some spiritual seekers experience on their journeys. And it teaches a vital lesson that's often difficult to learn.

What's entombed in the Nine of Scrolls is the truth of Authentic Self or Divine Self. We keep it buried because of disabling belief systems that teach us guilt, fear and unworthiness, and then keeps us entombed in despair. The Hero's Journey is an escape from the tomb of despair; the triumph of the Divine Self.

Like all Chrysalis cards designed to challenge us and our disabling beliefs, the Nine of Scrolls places great emphasis on personal empowerment and healing. We dig our own ruts, and then we dig our way back out of them. We do the heavy lifting. C'est la vie.

This fairy messenger appears to have tried almost everything. She's now at her wit's end and clings to the ninth scroll, the symbol of her last remaining hope. The Ninth Scroll represents the Dark Night of the Soul - spiritual dryness and despair entombed by irrational fear. And, remarkably, fear of Self.

In tarot, the Dark Night of the Soul is a minor arcana card rather than a major because not every seeker who embarks on the Hero's Journey must endure this degree of suffering. Why is that?

In Chrysalis, our Hierophant is the Divine Child. She (or he) symbolizes unrealized potential and your inner voice. The Divine Child answers questions in direct language, "Stop playing the blame game. Stop blaming the gods, or Aunt Hilda, or your parents or your circumstances or Mercury retrograde and accept personal accountability for your own well being." You direct your own spiritual growth. That is the message of Divine Child.

Indeed, playing the blame game often goes hand in hand with prolonged periods of intense isolation and despair. A controlling ego can usually be spotted in the noxious mix unless there's an endogenous cause. We all know what motivates a controlling ego: fear. And not just any garden variety fear, but fear of facing your true Self, as strange as that may sound.

Fear of authentic Self is the entombing fear of letting go, pure and simple. This fear plays nanny to the selfish, "I, me, my" attitude. The Hero's Journey allegorizes the spiritual contest between Ego and Self, as we discussed in last week's blog featuring The Acrobat.

In spiritual circles, we often hear the contest of Ego vs. Self described as an agony, e.g. dark night of the soul, the agony in the garden, etc. The word agony comes from the Greek agónia, a word that describes feelings an athlete might endure before a grueling contest - great fear, anxiety, sometimes dread, etc.

For seekers, the Dark Night will persist until Ego finally concedes defeat. That significant event is followed by a period of sublime joy, consolation and the realization you're not the person you thought you were; your true Self is vastly different and vastly better. And it is made whole as this giant step toward personal destiny and higher consciousness is completed.

Ironically, the ego itself actively pursues higher consciousness for an obvious reason: It doesn't want to relinquish control. But the ego on its own can never attain higher consciousness. Some people get that, others don't. The more stubborn the ego, the more difficult the trial and the Darker the Night.

Many healing cards in Chrysalis focus on the lessons of letting go by embracing three principal themes: shamanism, meditation and unconditional forgiveness. These healing themes help authentic Self overcome ego. The three major arcana cards that underscore these three themes are: Papa Legba (shamanism); Golden Flower (meditation), and Ariadne (forgiveness of Self and of others). Shamanism refers to communing with the Collective Unconscious, the linchpin of Chrysalis tarot.

Ariadne, for example, is like a "Get Out of Jail Free" card for those suffering the Dark Night of the Soul (of the entombed Self). When you face the dreaded Minotaur, you learn to forgive yourself, Aunt Hilda and everyone else. That's the first step. Forgiveness costs nothing more than a piercing wound to the "I-Me-My" ego. That's a welcome piercing for souls in search for higher consciousness and spiritual transformation, which is the goal of Chrysalis Tarot.

The Eight of Mirrors, our representation of the Eightfold Path, embodies all three of the aforementioned healing themes: shamanism, meditation and forgiveness, all of which mirror selflessness, this card's keyword.

The enlightened shaman pictured (left) has probably guided an initiate up the Mountain of the Eightfold Path and is returning to assist someone else. Alternatively, he may symbolize the cyclic Ascent to the Mountaintop that is a never ending process. Mircea Eliade called this the "myth of the eternal return."

Interestingly, the Dark Night of the Soul is triggered by the Divine Child when the time is right. It's something that happens only when your psyche is prepared and deems the lesson necessary to outdistance the persistence of ego.

The spiritual virtues of the Eightfold Path as envisioned by Chrysalis Tarot are: selflessness, truthfulness, harmlessness, mindfulness, respectfulness, goodness, peacefulness and righteousness. All of these virtues engender healing and interior balance, requisites for spiritual transformation.

When we allow ourselves to step away from the metaphors to focus on the science, we learn that psychological and emotional healing are attributes of subtle energy.

What we call higher consciousness is itself a attribute of a dynamic resonance that pervades the cosmos. Resonance is accomplished with acts of attunement, i.e. unblocking, unbinding and aligning the body's energy meridians (chakras).

Every card in Chrysalis Tarot is imbued with a shamanic "attunement" intention. Chrysalis cards visually portray and engender the resonance of healing and forgiveness.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

The dragonfly in the upper right corner of The Acrobat suggests this card is about transformation, self-transcendence and gaining a fresh perspective. The youthful spirit of the monkey suggests this card is also about being keenly aware of your surroundings and transcending your comfort zone.

Tarot can be put to many uses. It can be a card game, a tool for divination, or a tool for self-development, self-awareness and spiritual growth. Chrysalis Tarot was created to assist with these latter uses. The Acrobat symbolizes how this can be accomplished: she symbolizes the authentic Self that soars above the illusions of ego.

Let's unpack that notion. First off, to say something is an "illusion" does not mean it doesn't exist only that it's not what it seems. Chrysalis Tarot's Hero's Journey itself symbolizes the struggle between the actualizing Self and the prevaricating Ego. Chrysalis constantly coaxes you to mitigate the illusions and allures of ego.

The Self, like the Acrobat's monkey, desires to smile, play and appreciate life in the present moment. Indeed, the monkey knows no other way. The ego on the other hand seeks to anticipate the future and control it. The Self is disposed to mindfulness while the ego is fascinated by adventurous mindlessness. To use tarot terms, the mindless "Fool" is on an ego trip while the "Hero," Chrysalis' designation for the "zero card," embarks on a pilgrimage of self-discovery.
The idea of mindfulness comes from Eastern philosophy. Alan Watts, who popularized Eastern traditions in the West, wrote: "The primary consciousness, the basic mind which knows reality rather than ideas about it, does not know the future. It lives completely in the present, and perceives nothing more than what is at this moment. The ingenious brain, however, looks at that part of the present experience called memory, and by studying it is able to make predictions. These predictions are, relatively, so accurate and reliable (e.g., 'everyone will die') that the future assumes a high degree of reality - so high that the present loses its value."

This tendency of ours to live for the future lies at the root of our anxiety. How can we overcome it? Well, we can use tarot to open a personal dialog with the Collective Unconscious, where the mythologies of past (below), present and, yes, an imagined future all merge (right). Myths are maps to treasure troves of wisdom. Chrysalis Tarot will open that conversation.

Imagine the scope of the communication from the Collective Unconscious to humanity through the imaginative minds of George Lucas and Gene Roddenberry; the wisdom of the ancients barely known to us because the limited perspective of our narratives, indeed our egos, filter the past to fit the preconceived notions about the present, as the next card illustrates.

Stonehenge echoes the lesson taught by The Acrobat: all is not as it seems. This megalithic monument, according to contemporary archaeologists, dates to 2,500 B.C.E. Evidence was recently found, however, that indicates Stonehenge is at least 5,000 years older, perhaps even more.

When new discoveries like this are made, I'm reminded of the 15-year-old exposé Michael Cremo and Richard Thompson developed in Forbidden Archeology, namely that the predominant narrative of human history and human evolution is significantly gaslighted. Like the dust mite, I suppose, we're better off not knowing some things.

Setting aside the substantial body of evidence that indicates anatomically modern humans roamed the Earth millions of years ago, I'll focus instead on the antediluvian knowledge that appears to have existed on Earth a scant 150,000 years ago, but is considered forbidden knowledge. The reason is simple: dogma. In this case, scientific dogma. Researchers who venture into anomalous domains are like religious heretics. Dogma, after all, isn't science. It's religious persuasion. Many have been marginalized, can't get published and never receive grants or tenure. A prominent example is the suppression of Nikola Tesla.

Another example of this involves forbidden theories about sacred geometry and the Flower of Life design. This design found in diverse ancient cultures the world over from Egypt to China to Israel. The image (right) is of a 3D Flower of Life sphere from the Grand Temple in Bangkok, Thailand. Although ancient, this design is particularly relevant today because of its implications to theoretical physics. The geometric structure of spacetime itself can be expressed using this geometry.

This design, according to Nassim Haramein of the Resonance Institute in Hawaii, ".. represents how tiny discrete packets of energy organize themselves with the geometric structure of the fabric of the vacuum of space itself."

The term "vacuum of space" is an intentional misnomer since classical physics still considers "empty space" to be a vacuum. It isn't. Space is a plenum filled with tiny fluctuating packets of quantum energy. There's enough energy, for example, in one cubic centimeter of space to power our entire civilization for a day. The vacuum is an energy reservoir of colossal capacity. Infinite energy pervading the entire universe is how the vacuum is viewed by "New Physics."

As Yoda forewarned, "You must unlearn what you have learned."

The Ten of Mirrors is about learning how to just let things be. It's my fervent hope you're better at that than I am!

But it's true: everything is unfolding just as it should. There is order as well as purpose in chaos; now is the time for each person to gaze into his or her mirror of true Self and realize that the greatest responsibility we have as humans is to grow in knowledge, make the necessary revisions to our cherished worldviews, and go with the flow.

The flow leads to a new world, an Aquarian worldview heralding science and spirituality as its unified centerpiece. By inference, this requires the deconstruction of scientific and religious dogma; a letting go of the prevailing and rigid materialist worldview, as well as "correct beliefs" at the core of a rotting, unscientific religious dogma. It requires a "new conception of god," as Anne Baring phrased it; a more rational spirituality.

Change of any kind is stressful. Change on the magnitude of an age-ending paradigm shift hasn't happened in over 2,000 years. Chrysalis Tarot was designed for the future Age of Aquarius not the present Age of Pisces, and for the transition. It was also designed to mollify change by explicating the new paradigm to "those who have ears to hear and eyes to see," as the prophet Jeremiah famously proclaimed.

The Ten of Mirrors is one of the most positive cards in our deck. It symbolizes an unbreachable barrier to waves of doubt and distrust seeking to dislodge your inner peace.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Tarot's Scrolls (Swords) suit represents the element of air. Human intellect is considered to be its primary correspondence. However, in Chrysalis Tarot intellect has two very different and distinct connotations.

The first refers to mental processes or activities of a rational mind. It represents the objective case, problem solving, intelligence, and the way a person interprets reality and deduces truth.

The second, yet equally important meaning of the Suit of Scrolls, is intuition. It refers to the subjective case, which gleans or induces truth via personal experience and supersensual, metaphysical inspiration and intuition.

Albert Einstein believed intuition is a neglected art: "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." Chrysalis aims to address that imbalance.

In Chrysalis, we don't seek to define the meaning of tarot cards with great precision. First of all, it's not possible, and second of all, every card serves as a painted invitation to fire up your imagination and intuition and write your own definitions. The unconscious mind is a treasure trove filled with lifetimes of experiences and memories - you own memories, those of your ancestors and moreover of all humanity. Raising the unconscious mind to conscious awareness is another goal Chrysalis addresses.

Tarot is both a metaphysical pursuit and a spiritual exercise. To dogmatize tarot with sacrosanct, and in many cases arbitrary meanings, is not simply to misunderstand how tarot really works but to corral and diminish its efficacy - indeed, to trivialize it. As one Chrysalis reviewer wrote, "You will have to look into your soul to discover what these cards mean, and what they will mean to you is different from what they will mean to anybody else." And that is how it should be.

Once this simple premise is understood and accepted, all your hard work over the years will pay off. You can now easily draw Excalibur from the Stone of Destiny and begin your quest freed of dogma in earnest. In doing so, you extract the secrets of both the Suit of Scrolls and the tarot. As Chrysalis artist Holly Sierra observed, "When the future king draws the sword from the stone he prepares to sacrifice all for his personal destiny and that of his realm."

The keyword for the Six of Scrolls is consolation, an important but frequently overlooked spiritual concept, especially when discerning difficult decisions. Questions put to tarot cards frequently involve decision making dilemmas. Tarot helps you solve them.

Let's say someone is discerning whether to take a new job or perhaps move to a new city. The first thing to do is make a list of all the pros and cons. Ask family and friends for their insights and listen closely to their responses. Finally, sleep on the decision for a night or two.

I then recommend one, but no more than three, different Chrysalis Tarot readings on the nuances of the question at hand. It's silly to keep reading the same question over and over until you get an answer that pleases you. Chrysalis Tarot's strength is one of personal empowerment; it will not presume to make decisions for you.

You then submit your provisional decision, symbolized by the scroll held by the elephant (infinite wisdom). Any number of methods can be used to submit your decision for confirmation. Personally, I think writing it on a piece of paper and placing the paper with (or inside) your tarot deck is sufficient.

If your provisional decision is in accord with your personal destiny (your greatest potential) and best interest, it will be confirmed by at least one of three ways, all of which produce abundant spiritual consolation:

If confirmation is forthcoming, it rarely takes more than 3 days to manifest.

Conversely, if insurmountable obstacles prevent your moving forward, or should you remain fretful about your decision, then humbly return to the drawing board. While the decision may be correct, perhaps your timing is off. You can, of course, go forward regardless, but expect stormy seas rather than clear sailing. Stormy seas sometimes are required to teach important lessons.

A replica of The Matthew, John Cabot's ship

Another thing to remember: Decisions reached in times of consolation that are free from perturbations (high anxiety) should never be reversed unless the situation dramatically changes.

One reason we often hear that, "the answers are inside you," is because your unconscious mind already knows what you are going to do. Afterall, it operates on a decision making program you helped it write, so it knows how (and why) you do what you do.

If you have a history of poor decision making, Chrysalis Tarot may be quite useful. It was designed to make you mindful of unconscious programming and break free of repetitious negative cycles by revising that programming.

Let say, for instance, the list of pros and cons you put together has more cons than pros, but in your heart you know your decision represents "the right thing to do." However, you can't articulate exactly why that's the case so gray clouds of indecision gather.

Remember, if you received consolation and were comfortable with your decision when you made it, then stick to it. Ignore the little voices in your head that create confusion.

Sometimes indecision still persists (left). You've gone over and over the list and still get the same result: five undesirable answers, one ambiguous answer (the scroll he's holding) and only one desired answer. Your feet want you to go one way but your heart has other ideas. Like this Seven of Scrolls satyr, you're split in half.

The satyr's animal half is hard wired, its human half is not. There's no doubt in my mind which door this satyr will eventually choose - and probably should choose. What's your best guess?

Sometimes the most courageous decisions we make involve great risks, hence great rewards. But such decisions often go completely against the grain. They seem to make no sense, yet we're drawn to them. In these cases, intuition and emotion always trump the intellect. You just have to set sail and hope for fair weather.

The moral of the Seven of Scrolls is to always trust your intuition and your emotions.

Order Chrysalis Tarot deck from Amazon

Tarosophy's 2014 Deck of the Year

About Toney

Retired broadcast executive, journalist and author of TheMystic Rose (Arthurian mythology). I write on the theory of cycles, metaphysics, mythology, consciousness and spirituality. Artist Holly Sierra and I created a unique, holistic approach to tarot titled Chrysalis Tarot. Our new deck, which has received wide critical acclaim, is available from Amazon, Holly's Etsy Store and other booksellers.

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About Holly

My paintings display a fascination with mysticism, nature and multicultural design. Whether cast upon the forest floor or woven into an ancient tapestry, all threads of life are vibrant and beautiful in my eyes. After living and traveling for many years in Asia, I returned home to become a children's book illustrator. My work has been featured in numerous publications from picture books to paper dolls. My dream to create paintings for my own tarot deck began with a deck I was given as a child. Chrysalis is the realization of that dream!